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A Cabinet committee Sunday approved in principle the proposed Jail Code Reforms to modernise the Jail Code of 1920 prepared by the British colonial rulers, reports UNB.
The proposed reforms will be placed at the cabinet meeting in September for final approval.
"This is going to be a historic reform by the present government," Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed told reporters after chairing the meeting.
Earlier, a secretaries' committee constituted on March 21, 2003 examined all the 1388 jail codes, and amended 146 and abolished 192 provisions to update the jail codes in the changed situation.
Highlighting some of the major changes in the existing jail codes, the law minister said the facilities in jail hospitals would be improved and some of the rigorous provisions dropped.
He said the posts of pathologists, radiologists, part-time dentists and laboratory technicians would be created in jail hospitals for better treatment of the inmates.
Provision of whipping the prisoners has been abolished while some changes have also been proposed in case of putting a prisoner under chain.
In the warrant of precedence (from 1 to 18), the minister said a jailer or a senior jailer would now provide 'division' to eminent persons like those honoured with Independence or Ekushey Awards, professor emeritus and president and general secretary of a political party having representation in parliament.
In other cases, the home ministry will take decision in providing 'division' to prominent citizens of the country.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Social Welfare Minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Post and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Huq, State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Alamgir Kabir were, among others, present in the meeting.
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